Asylum

The book is enjoyable for teens. It does have some heavy subjects so parents should look up trigger warning. It's certainly written for a younger crowd, though older teens may find the chartacters a bit childish (children prefer to read about character older than them). If you have a preteen, you should certainly consider their level of maturity etc. It is a good read for spooky season. Furthermore, I believe it does have educational value. It would be a great time to discuss how people that didn’t align with societal standards at given times have been oppressed in various ways but especially in the form of asylums/mental institutions. It would also be a great opportunity to discuss societal issues relating to mental health and the stigmas surrounding mental health issues as well as inadequate access to mental health care.

As an aunt/legal guardian to four children, and a retired private school teacher, I know that children and teenagers all like popular series, like The Hunger Games, or Twilight. I consider this title to be an undiscovered gem. Although this is NOT for children, I do think that, after reading titles like Twilight or The Hunger Games, or similar things, that teens will be able to handle it. Of course, I'm not saying that this content is suitable for them, but most teenagers nowadays will not think much of it, other than calling it “a good read.” Great Role Models: Each of the characters has their flaws, making it more realistic. They're brave, but irresponsible, (4/5) Violence: Gore. Murder. Descriptions of how they used to discriminate back then. (4/5) Sex: A few kisses, but nothing else. (2/5) Swearing: sh-t, -ss, d-mn are said throuhout the book (3/5) Consumerism: Various products, from Coca Cola, to Google (3/5) Drinking: A few scenes where teens have beer (2/5)